Abstract:

A power noise detecting device includes a plurality of power lines, and a
power noise detecting part configured to detect power noise by rectifying
voltages of the plurality of power lines and converting the rectified
voltages into effective voltages.

Claims:

1. A power noise detecting device, comprising:a plurality of power lines;
anda power noise detecting part configured to detect power noise by
rectifying voltages of the plurality of power lines and converting the
rectified voltages into effective voltages.

2. The power noise detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
power lines include a first power line and a second power line.

3. The power noise detecting device according to claim 2, further
comprising a decoupling capacitor connected between the first power line
and the second power line.

4. The power noise detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the
power noise detecting part includes:a power noise level adjusting unit
configured to decrease power noise levels at both ends of the first power
line and the second power line;a rectification unit configured to rectify
voltages output from the power noise level control part; andan effective
voltage detecting unit configured to convert an output signal of the
rectification unit into the effective voltage to output the effective
voltage.

5. The power noise detecting device according to claim 4, wherein the
power noise level adjusting unit includes distribution resistors
connected to both ends of the first power line and the second power line.

6. The power noise detecting device according to claim 4, wherein the
effective voltage detecting unit includes a filter connected to an output
terminal of the rectification unit.

7. A power noise control device, comprising:a variable resistor part
connected to a plurality of power lines to vary a resistance value
according to a resistance value adjustment code signal;a power noise
detecting part converting power noise of the power lines into an
effective voltage to output the effective voltage; anda power noise
control part varying the resistance value adjustment code signal
according to a result acquired by comparing the effective voltage with a
target code conversion voltage acquired by converting a target code
signal.

8. The power noise control device according to claim 7, wherein the
plurality of power lines include a first power line and a second power
line.

9. The power noise control device according to claim 8, further comprising
a decoupling capacitor is connected between the first power line and the
second power line.

10. The power noise control device according to claim 9, wherein the
variable resistor part includes a plurality of switching elements
commonly connected to the decoupling capacitor.

11. The power noise control device according to claim 10, wherein
plurality of switching elements is turned on according to the resistance
value adjustment code.

12. The power noise control device according to claim 11, further
comprising a plurality of resistors connected between the plurality of
switching elements and the second power line.

13. The power noise control device according to claim 12, wherein the
power noise detecting part includes:a power noise level adjusting unit
configured to decrease power noise levels at both ends of the first power
line and the second power line;a rectification unit rectifying voltages
output from the power noise level control part; andan effective voltage
detecting unit converting an output signal of the rectification unit into
the effective voltage to output the effective voltage.

14. The power noise control device according to claim 12, wherein the
power noise control part includes:an digital/analog converting unit that
converts the target code signal into the target code conversion voltage
and outputs the target code conversion voltage;a comparison unit that
compares the effective voltage with the target code conversion voltage to
output a comparison result signal; anda code generating unit that
increases or decreases and outputs the resistance value adjustment code
according to the comparison result signal.

15. The power noise control device according to claim 14, wherein the
rectification unit includes a first output terminal through which the
rectified voltage is output.

16. The power noise control device according to claim 15, wherein the
rectification unit includes a second output terminal connected to a
ground terminal of the digital/analog converting unit.

17. The power noise control device according to claim 14, wherein the code
generating unit includes a counter.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001]The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §
119(a) to Korean application number 10-2008-0078808, filed on Aug. 12,
2008, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as set forth in full.

BACKGROUND

[0002]1. Technical Field

[0003]The embodiments described herein relate to a semiconductor device,
and more particularly, to a power noise detecting device and a power
noise control device using the same.

[0004]2. Related Art

[0005]A power distribution network (PDN) is configured between a
semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) device and an external apparatus to
supply power to the semiconductor IC device from the external apparatus
through the power distribution network. Parasitic components, such as
capacitances, inductances, resistances, and the like, exist on the power
distribution network. Accordingly, the parasitic components may have an
negative influence on the proper operation of the semiconductor IC
device. For example, the parasitic components may cause noise to be
generated in the supplied power. Accordingly, a circuit is design to
minimize the above-described parasitic components. One method includes
use of a decoupling capacitor installed between power lines at a
predetermined interval. However, the installation of the decoupling
capacitor for reducing the parasitic components causes another parasitic
component called an Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR) to be generated.

[0006]If the ESR is small, power distribution performance in a
high-frequency region may be improved, but in a resonance frequency
region between a semiconductor IC chip and a package covering the chip,
as the ESR becomes smaller, the power noise becomes larger. Accordingly,
it is necessary to optimize the ESR by considering various operational
environments of the semiconductor IC. As a result, it is necessary to
accurately detect the power noise.

[0007]However, since the semiconductor IC is commonly designed only to
minimize the ESR, there is a problem in that the power noise cannot be
reduced to a desired level. Furthermore, an analog/digital converter or a
delay line is commonly used to detect the power noise for the purpose of
controlling the ESR. However, a large circuit area is required to
implement the analog/digital converter or the delay line, which causes a
loss in layout area while increasing power consumption.

SUMMARY

[0008]A power noise detecting device and a power noise control device
using the same capable of accurately detecting power noise and minimizing
the power noise by implementing a simple circuit are described herein.

[0009]In one aspect, a power noise detecting device includes a plurality
of power lines, and a power noise detecting part configured to detect
power noise by rectifying voltages of the plurality of power lines and
converting the rectified voltages into effective voltages.

[0010]In another aspect, a power noise control device includes a variable
resistor part connected to a plurality of power lines to vary a
resistance value according to a resistance value adjustment code signal,
a power noise detecting part converting power noise of the power lines
into an effective voltage to output the effective voltage, and a power
noise control part varying the resistance value adjustment code signal
according to a result acquired by comparing the effective voltage with a
target code conversion voltage acquired by converting a target code
signal.

[0011]These and other features, aspects, and embodiments are described
below in the section "Detailed Description."

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]Features, aspects, and embodiments are described in conjunction with
the attached drawings, in which:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of an exemplary power noise
detecting device according to one embodiment;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a power noise waveform diagram demonstrating exemplary
operation for each component of the device of FIG. 1 according to one
embodiment;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of another exemplary power noise
control device according to one embodiment; and

[0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of an exemplary variable
resistor part capable of being implemented in the device of FIG. 3
according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of an exemplary power noise
detecting device according to one embodiment. In FIG. 1, a power noise
detecting device 1 can be configured to include power lines 110 and 120
via a chip circuit part 220, and a power noise detecting part 230 for
detecting the noise of power applied through the power lines 110 and 120,
which can be installed in/on a semiconductor chip, such as a
semiconductor IC 200.

[0018]A power distribution network 100 can be connected to the
semiconductor IC 200 via the power lines 110 and 120. In addition, a
decoupling capacitor Cdc, a parasitic resistance component, i.e., an
Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR) generated by the decoupling capacitor
Cdc, and the chip circuit part 220 can be interconnected between the
power lines 110 and 120.

[0019]The chip circuit part 220 can represent a portion or an entirety of
a circuit configuration including various signal processing circuits,
memory cells, and the like constituting the semiconductor IC 200.

[0020]The power noise detecting part 230 can rectify voltages at both ends
of the power lines 110 and 120, and can convert the rectified voltages
into effective voltages and output the effective voltages. For example,
the power noise detecting part 230 can include a power noise level
adjusting unit 231, a rectification unit 232, and an effective voltage
detecting unit 233.

[0021]The power noise level adjusting unit 231 can reduce the level of
power noise applied to both ends of the power lines 110 and 120 to a
level required for detecting the power noise. For example, the power
noise level adjusting unit 231 can include first and second distribution
resistors Rd1 and Rd2 connected to both ends of the power lines 110 and
120. Here, the first and second distribution resistors Rd1 and Rd2 can
have substantially the same resistance value.

[0022]The rectification unit 232 can full-wave rectify and output the
power noise level adjusting unit 231. Here, the rectification unit 232
can function by considering a parasitic capacitance value to minimize the
distortion of the power noise. For example, the rectification unit 232
can be configured to include a bridge diode of which two input ends can
be connected to both ends of the first distribution resistor Rd2.

[0023]The effective voltage detecting unit 233 can output an Root Menu
Square (RMS) value of an output signal of the rectification unit 232,
such as an effective voltage VNRMS. For example, the effective voltage
detecting unit 233 can include a primary filter or a secondary filter
formed by combining resistors and capacitors with each other.

[0024]FIG. 2 is a power noise waveform diagram demonstrating exemplary
operation for each component of the device of FIG. 1 according to one
embodiment. An exemplary operation of a power noise detecting device will
now be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0025]In FIG. 2, the power noise of the power lines 110 and 120 can swing
around the level of a power voltage VDD like a node A. However, since the
level of the power voltage VDD can drop to one-half due to the power
noise level adjusting unit 231, the power noise can also swing at a level
corresponding to one-half of the original level like a node B. The power
noise of the node B can be full-wave rectified by the rectification unit
232 like a node C. The full-wave rectified signal of the node C can be
output as the effective voltage VNRMS by the effective voltage converting
unit 233. Accordingly, the power noise detecting device 1 can detect the
degree of the power noise according to the level of the effective voltage
VNRMS.

[0026]FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of another exemplary power noise
control device according to one embodiment. In FIG. 3, a power noise
control device 2 can detect power noise and can reduce the power noise by
controlling a resistance value of a variable resistor configured to
substitute for a parasitic resistance component (ESR) according to a
detection result. Accordingly, the power noise control device 2 can use
the power noise detecting 1 (in FIG. 1) as a configuration for detecting
the power noise.

[0027]As shown in FIG. 3, the power noise control device 2 can be
configured to include power lines 110 and 120, a variable resistor part
210, a chip circuit part 220, a power noise detecting part 230, and a
power noise control part 240.

[0028]The variable resistor part 210 can be configured to vary the
resistance value, i.e., the ESR according to a resistance value control
code signal `ESRCODE<0:N>`. For example, the variable resistor part
210 can be connected between a decoupling capacitor Cdc and the power
line 120. Here, the ESR that is generated due to the decoupling capacitor
Cdc can exist at a position connected with the variable resistor part
210, wherein the ESR is not intentionally configured by a circuit design
but can be a parasitic component. For example, the ESR can be varied by
the capacitance of the decoupling capacitor Cdc. The ESR can function as
an index for increasing and decreasing the power noise, and although it
can be varied, and the ESR cannot be considered to be actively
controlled. Accordingly, the variable resistor part 210 can be connected
to the decoupling capacitor Cdc to actively control the ESR. As a result,
the ESR can be controlled according to the resistance value control code
signal `ESRCODE<0:N>`.

[0029]The chip circuit part 220 can represent a portion or an entirety of
a circuit configuration including various signal processing circuits, the
memory cells, and the like constituting the semiconductor IC 200.

[0030]The power noise detecting part 230 can rectify the voltages at both
ends of the power lines 110 and 120, and can convert the rectified
voltages into the effective voltages to detect the power noise. For
example, the power noise detecting part 230 can include the power noise
level adjusting unit 231, the rectification unit 232, and the effective
voltage detecting unit 233.

[0031]The power noise level adjusting unit 231 can reduce the level of the
power noise supplied to both ends of the power lines 110 and 120 to a
level advantageous for detecting the power noise. For example, the power
noise level adjusting unit 231 can be configured to include the first and
second distribution resistors Rd1 and Rd2 connected to both ends of the
power lines 110 and 120. Here, the first and second distribution
resistors Rd1 and Rd2 can have substantially the same resistance value.

[0032]The rectification unit 232 can full-wave rectify and output the
output of the power noise level adjusting unit 231. Here, the
rectification unit 232 can function by considering the parasitic
capacitance value to minimize the distortion of the power noise. For
example, the rectification unit 232 can be configured to include the
bridge diode of which two input ends are connected to both ends of the
first distribution resistor Rd2.

[0033]The effective voltage detecting unit 233 can output the effective
voltage VNRMS of the output signal of the rectification unit 232. For
example, the effective voltage detecting unit 233 can include the primary
filter or the secondary filter formed by combining the resistors and the
capacitors with each other.

[0034]The power noise control part 240 can compare the effective voltage
VNRMS with a target code conversion voltage VTARCODE acquired by
converting a target code signal `TARCODE<0:N>` to output a
comparison result signal `UPDN`. For example, the power noise control
part 240 can vary the resistance value adjustment code signal
`ESRCODE<0:N>` according to the comparison result signal `UPDN`.

[0035]The power noise control part 240 can include a digital/analog
converting unit 241, a comparison unit 242, and a code generating unit
243.

[0037]Variation of a potential difference of the rectification unit 232
can be supplied to the target code conversion voltage VTARCODE by
connecting any one of the output terminals of the rectification unit 232
to a ground terminal of the digital/analog converting unit 241, such that
the target code conversion voltage VTARCODE and the effective voltage
VNRMS can be compared with each other by the comparison unit 241 in the
same environment.

[0038]The code generating unit 243 can increase or decrease the resistance
value adjustment code signal `ESRCODE<0:N>` according to the
comparison result signal `UPDN` to output the resistance value adjustment
code signal `ESRCODE<0:N>`. For example, the code generating unit
243 can include a counter.

[0039]FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of an exemplary variable
resistor part capable of being implemented in the device of FIG. 3
according to one embodiment. In FIG. 4, the variable resistor part 210
can include a plurality of transistors M0 to MN commonly connected to the
decoupling capacitor Cdc, and a plurality of resistors R0 to RN connected
between the plurality of transistors M0 to MN and the power line 120. In
the variable resistor part 210, the number of resistors connected to
turned-ON transistors among the plurality of resistors R0 to RN can be
increased or decreased according to a code value of the resistance value
adjustment code signal `ESRCODE<0:N>`, resulting in varying the
total resistance value. The total resistance value based on the resistors
connected to the turned-ON transistors among the plurality of resistors
R0 to RN can serve to function as the ESR. Here, the ESR can be actively
controlled.

[0040]An exemplary operation of a power noise control device will now be
described with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, a result acquired
by detecting the power noise in the power noise detecting part 230 can be
output as the effective voltage VNRMS.

[0041]The digital/analog converting unit 241 can convert the target code
signal `TARCODE<0:N>` into an analog voltage. For example, the
target code signal `TARCODE<0:N>` can be converted and output as a
target code conversion voltage VTARCODE. In the target code signal
`TARCODE<0:N>`, the resistance value of the variable resistor part
210, i.e., the ESR value is set to an optimum value to minimize the power
noise, may be set by a mode register set, and the value of the code may
be changed, through a test process.

[0042]The comparison unit 242 can compare the effective voltage VNRMS with
the target code conversion voltage VTARCODE to output the comparison
result signal `UPDN` at a high level or a low level. For example, the
comparison unit 242 can output the comparison result signal `UPDN` by
varying a logical level of the comparison result signal `UPDN` according
to whether or not the effective voltage VNRMS is higher than the target
code conversion voltage VTARCODE.

[0043]The code generating unit 243 can increase or decrease the code value
of the resistance value adjustment code signal `ESRCODE<0:N>`
according to the comparison result signal `UPDN` to output the code
value. Accordingly, the ESR value of the variable resistor part 210 can
be changed according to the resistance value adjustment code signal
`ESRCODE<0:N>`.

[0044]Until the effective voltage VNRMS output according to the changed
ESR value is lower than the target code conversion voltage VTARCODE, the
power noise detecting operation of the power noise detecting section 230
and the ESR control operation of the power noise control section 240 can
be repeated. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the power noise by
optimizing the intentionally designed ESR.

[0045]The exemplary optimization operation of the ESR can be performed by
a method including continuously performing the ESR optimization operation
during operation of the semiconductor IC, by a method of periodically
performing the ESR optimization operation, and/or by a method of
performing the ESR optimization operation at the time when the
semiconductor IC is powered up. For example, the ESR optimization can be
implemented by the various methods by adding an additional circuit
component for cutting-off a current depending on an additional enable
signal to components of each of the power noise detecting part 230 and
the power noise control part 240 and differentiating an activation
section of an enable signal.

[0046]While certain embodiments have been described above, it will be
understood that the embodiments described are by way of example only.
Accordingly, the device and method described herein should not be limited
based on the described embodiments. Rather, the devices and methods
described herein should only be limited in light of the claims that
follow when taken in conjunction with the above description and
accompanying drawings.